The Maharashtr Economic Development Council (MEDC) organized the MEDC-MSME Council on August 23, 2024, at the Sidnaham College of Commerce and Economics, Mumbai, under the leadership of Mr. Atul Shiralkar, President, MEDC. The council was attended by over 400 participants, 22 supporters, and 34 esteemed speakers, making it a grand success. The conference was inaugurated by the chief guest, Mr. Anand Ghanu, Founder-Chairman, Garje Marathi Global. In his speech, he shared insights about the work of Garje Marathi Global and how the organization has made significant contributions to Maharashtra's economy by promoting entrepreneurship and innovation.
In the welcome speech, Mr. Atul Shiralkar extended a warm welcome to all the esteemed guests and participants. He emphasized the crucial role MEDC plays in driving economic growth and development in Maharashtra.
The keynote speaker, Dr. Rajanish Kamat, Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Homi Bhabha State University, highlighted the importance of MSMEs and skill development. He stated that India, as a nation of young minds, should leverage this talent for progress.
Keynote speaker Mr. Rajinder Singh Bhatia, President, Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers, and Chairman, Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited, attributed the significant growth in India's defense sector to the contribution of startups.
Keynote speaker Dr. Apurva Palkar, Founder Vice-Chancellor, Maharashtra State Skill University, emphasized the crucial role of MSMEs in job creation and focused on the importance of human capital development.
Dignitaries present at the conference included Mr. Lalit Gandhi, President, Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture (MACCIA); Mr. Vijay Kalantri, President, All India Association of Industries; Mr. Gustavo Gonzalez, Consul General of Chile; and Mr. Martin Muller, Consul General of Switzerland.
Mr. Ravindra Bortakar, former President, MEDC, concluded the inaugural session with a vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to all the dignitaries and participants for making the conference a success.
The conference featured four technical sessions, moderated and spoken by the following individuals:
First Technical Session - Incubation, Entrepreneurship, and Skill Development
Moderator: Mr. Jaydeep Pawar, Chairman, MEDC State Committee
Speakers: Smt. Nidhi Chaudhari, IAS, Former Commissioner, Skill, Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation Department, and Former CEO, Maharashtra State Skill Development Society (MSSDS) and Maharashtra State Innovation Society (MSINS); Mr. Prasad Menon, CEO, Center for Incubation and Business Acceleration (CIBA); Mr. Dheeraj Kumar, Regional Head, Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC); Bhavesh Kothari, CEO, MSSU I-Spark Foundation.
Second Technical Session - Financial Opportunities for MSMEs
Moderator: Captain Gajanan Karanjikar, Chairman, MEDC State Committee
Speakers: Mr. Rajendra Nimbalkar, IAS, Managing Director, Maharashtra Small Industries Development Corporation Limited (MSSIDC); Mr. Sunil Khujner, IEDS, Assistant Director-I, MSME-DFO MSME Ministry, GoI; Mr. Kailashkumar Varodia, CFO and COO, Receivables Exchange of India Limited (RXIL); Smt. Radha Kirtivasan, Head-Listing and SME, Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE); Mr. Manoj Kumar, Zonal General Manager, National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC).
Third Technical Session - Defense Opportunities for MSMEs
Moderator: Mr. Mandar Bharde, Chairman, MEDC State Committee
Speakers: Group Captain Ajay D. Purandare (Retd.), Head Center for Futuristic Defense Studies (CFDS); Mr. Anil Kulkarni, Vice President and Head Supply Chain Management, L&T Precision Engineering and Systems; Mr. Rajendra Chodankar, Chairman and CEO, RRP S4E Innovation Pvt Ltd; Dr. Arjun Kumar, Additional Director/Scientist 'F', Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) Headquarters.
Fourth Technical Session - Export Opportunities for MSMEs
Moderator: Mr. G. S. Matthew, Chairman, MEDC State Committee
Speakers: Mr. Seungchang Ha, Chief Representative, Chungcheongnam-do Job and Economic Promotion Agency (CEPA India); Smt. Harpreet Makol, Assistant Director - Federation of Indian Export Organizations (FIEO), WR; Mr. Kumar Anshuman, DGM, Nariman Point Branch, Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India Limited (ECGC); Mr. Govind Ramchandra Pitre, CEO and Chief Advisor, Sustainability Consultancy
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